WO2023180312A1 - Device for cooling and extracting preforms for the production of plastic containers - Google Patents

Device for cooling and extracting preforms for the production of plastic containers Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2023180312A1
WO2023180312A1 PCT/EP2023/057202 EP2023057202W WO2023180312A1 WO 2023180312 A1 WO2023180312 A1 WO 2023180312A1 EP 2023057202 W EP2023057202 W EP 2023057202W WO 2023180312 A1 WO2023180312 A1 WO 2023180312A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
grip
movement
assembly
preforms
along
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2023/057202
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Christian MONDUCCI
Attilio PEROTTI
Original Assignee
Sacmi Imola S.C.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sacmi Imola S.C. filed Critical Sacmi Imola S.C.
Publication of WO2023180312A1 publication Critical patent/WO2023180312A1/en

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C45/17—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
    • B29C45/40—Removing or ejecting moulded articles
    • B29C45/42—Removing or ejecting moulded articles using means movable from outside the mould between mould parts, e.g. robots
    • B29C45/4225—Take-off members or carriers for the moulded articles, e.g. grippers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C45/17—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
    • B29C45/40—Removing or ejecting moulded articles
    • B29C45/42—Removing or ejecting moulded articles using means movable from outside the mould between mould parts, e.g. robots
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C45/17—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
    • B29C45/72—Heating or cooling
    • B29C45/7207—Heating or cooling of the moulded articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C45/17—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
    • B29C45/40—Removing or ejecting moulded articles
    • B29C45/42—Removing or ejecting moulded articles using means movable from outside the mould between mould parts, e.g. robots
    • B29C2045/4241—Auxiliary means for removing moulded articles from the robot
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C45/17—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
    • B29C45/72—Heating or cooling
    • B29C45/7207—Heating or cooling of the moulded articles
    • B29C2045/7214—Preform carriers for cooling preforms
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2105/00—Condition, form or state of moulded material or of the material to be shaped
    • B29K2105/25—Solid
    • B29K2105/253—Preform

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a device for cooling and extracting preforms for the production of plastic containers.
  • Devices for unloading and storing preforms for the production of plastic containers which are normally constituted by a cooling plate which forms a plurality of receptacles arranged like a matrix and designed to accommodate respective still-warm preforms for the time necessary to cool them at least partially.
  • such preforms are fed directly from the injection molding press to the cooling plate and remain in the respective receptacle for a preset time.
  • the mold opens and the cooling plate is moved toward the preforms, which are partially accommodated in one of the two mold parts so that the receptacles of the cooling plate can engage with respective portions of preforms that protrude from the mold part and are extracted from it so as to allow the closure of the mold and a new molding cycle.
  • the unloading of the preforms from the cooling plate occurs as a consequence of an expulsion action that can be obtained with pneumatic means, mechanical means, or a combination thereof.
  • the preforms are then transferred from the take off plate and then fall, by gravity, on a conveyor belt.
  • the cooling times are in many cases quite long and this does not allow to optimize the productivity of the system as a whole.
  • EP0947304 describes a preform molding and cooling system that entails the removal of the preforms from the preform mold when they are not completely cooled and the subsequent cooling of the preforms outside the molding area; the described solution describes how to perform cooling of the preforms by introducing a jet of air inside the preforms, cooling the outside of the preform in the classical way, i.e., by cooling the receptacle by means of a cooling fluid, or by convection.
  • the cooling and extraction assembly is normally designed to cool the preforms arranged at the grip assembly and to extract the cooled preforms from the grip assembly.
  • the grip plate is movable with respect to the molding device in order to pick up the preforms.
  • the grip plate can furthermore move on command along at least one arrangement direction which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the preforms, so as to arrange the extracted preforms in each instance at the grip bodies.
  • the grip plate has the receptacles arranged like a matrix, extending along rows and columns.
  • This arrangement of the receptacles on the grip plate causes limitations deriving from the maximum number of stations that can be inserted as a function of the dimensions of the preforms to be manufactured.
  • the aim of the present invention is to eliminate, or at least reduce drastically, the drawbacks mentioned above.
  • an object of the invention is to provide a device for cooling and extracting preforms for the production of plastic containers that allows to cool and extract, in an extremely practical and effective manner, the preforms from the grip assembly.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a device for cooling and extracting preforms for the production of plastic containers that allows to manage in an optimum manner both the cooling operations and the unloading operations, simplifying the movements of the various components so as to optimize both operations.
  • Figure 1 is a perspective view of the grip assembly
  • Figure 2 is again a perspective view, but in enlarged scale, of a portion of the grip assembly of Figure 1;
  • Figure 3 is a front view of the portion of the grip assembly shown in Figure 2;
  • Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views of the grip assembly, taken along the planes of arrangement identified, respectively, by the lines IV-IV and V- V of Figure 3;
  • Figure 6 is a view of a portion of the grip assembly, in which the front part has been omitted for greater clarity.
  • the device for cooling and extracting preforms for the production of plastic containers according to the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 1.
  • the device 1 comprises a supporting structure 10 for at least one grip assembly 2 which forms, or supports, a plurality of receptacles 20 for respective preforms and means for transferring the still-warm preforms from an injection molding device (not shown) to the grip assembly 2.
  • the device 1 comprises moreover a take off plate (not shown), which supports a plurality of grip bodies configured to engage selectively a respective preform in order to allow its extraction from the respective receptacle 20.
  • the take off plate supports a plurality of grip bodies arranged like a matrix and arranged along a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns which are substantially perpendicular to the plurality of rows.
  • the grip assembly 2 comprises a supporting assembly 11 for a grip plate 12, which supports the plurality of receptacles 20 arranged on a plurality of mutually parallel rows 101 and extended along a first direction of extension 201.
  • the rows 101 are arranged mutually side-by-side along a second direction of extension, designated by the reference numeral 202, which is substantially perpendicular to the first direction of extension 201.
  • the receptacles 20 of adjacent rows 101 arranged side- by-side along the second direction of extension 202 are mutually offset along the first direction 201, in a quincunx-like arrangement.
  • the device 1 comprises, moreover, means 50 for the movement of the grip plate 12 with respect to the supporting structure 10.
  • the movement means 50 comprise first movement means 51, which act between the supporting structure 10 and the supporting assembly 11 in order to move the supporting assembly 11 at least along a first movement direction 301, and second movement means 52 supported by the supporting assembly 11 in order to move the grip plate 12 with respect to the supporting assembly 11 at least along a second movement direction 302 that is different from the first movement direction 301. More in detail, the first movement direction 301 and the second movement direction 302 lie on a plane that is substantially parallel to the plane of arrangement of the grip plate 12.
  • the first direction of extension 201 comprises a substantially vertical direction
  • the second direction of extension 202 comprises a substantially horizontal direction
  • the first movement direction 301 also comprises a substantially horizontal direction
  • the second movement direction 302 comprises a substantially vertical direction
  • the first motor means 51 comprise, for example, at least one linear motor which acts between the supporting structure 10 and the supporting assembly 11.
  • the first motor means 51 can actuate the movement of the supporting assembly 11, and consequently of the grip plate 12 that supports the receptacles 20, along the first movement direction 301.
  • the supporting assembly 11 is associated with at least one sliding guide 15, which extends parallel to the second movement direction 302 and can be engaged by a respective engagement element which is supported by the grip plate 12 during the movement of said grip plate 12 with respect to the supporting assembly 11 along the second movement direction 302 following the activation of the second motor means 51.
  • the second motor means 52 comprise a motor body 13 which is supported by the supporting assembly 11 and comprises a rotatable shaft which is associated integrally with a gear which meshes with a rack 14 which extends parallel to the second movement direction 302 and is integral with said grip plate 12.
  • the second motor means 52 can be provided in another manner, for example, by means of linear motors acting between the supporting assembly 11 and the grip plate 12.
  • the cooling and extracting assembly comprises a cooling plate, which is arranged, at least in one operating condition thereof, so as to face the grip assembly 2.
  • the cooling plate 21 can, in particular, move on command with respect to the grip assembly 2 between a position that is closer to the grip assembly 2 and a position that is spaced from the grip assembly 2.
  • the cooling plate 21 supports a plurality of cooling channels.
  • the cooling channels are functionally connected to a device for the production of an air flow, which is constituted for example by a blower or by a water-based cooling device.
  • the cooling channels are designed, with the cooling plate in the closer position, to lead into a respective preform accommodated in a respective receptacle 20 in order to convey a jet of air inside the preform so as to increase its cooling rate.
  • the operation of the device 1 is as follows.
  • the grip assembly is moved to allow the transfer of the freshly molded preforms inside respective receptacles 20 formed at the grip assembly 2 and then to face the extraction assembly.
  • the cooling plate if provided, is moved on command from the position in which it is spaced from the grip assembly 2 toward the position that is closer to the grip assembly 2.
  • the cooling channels are placed at the cavities of the respective preforms to be cooled and the air sent toward the cooling channels is therefore directed inside said preforms in order to determine their cooling by convection of the blown air.
  • the grip bodies supported by the take off plate are moved in order to engage respective preforms that must be extracted from their respective receptacles 20, having previously performed one or more retention cycles within the receptacles 20, or cooling cycles if the cooling plate is provided.
  • the first and/or second movement means 51 and 52 are operated cyclically so as to position the preforms to be extracted in a position that faces the grip bodies.
  • the take off plate is moved away from the grip assembly 2 to bring the preforms to the unloading position, optionally by means of a downward rotation about a substantially horizontal hinge axis.
  • the preform molding device has completed a new molding cycle, and the still-warm preforms are transferred at the receptacles 20 of the grip assembly 2 that have been just freed.
  • the grip assembly 2 then moves to a position in which the receptacles are arranged offset with respect to the previous position, so that the grip bodies can engage the preforms that have already finished the cooling cycles.
  • the fact that the second movement means 52 are supported by the supporting assembly ensures high precision in the movement along the second movement direction 302 and, at the same time, a reduction in inertias during movement.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Robotics (AREA)
  • Blow-Moulding Or Thermoforming Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)

Abstract

A device (1) for cooling and extracting preforms for the production of plastic containers, comprising a supporting structure (10) for at least one grip assembly (2) which forms a plurality of receptacles (20) for respective preforms and means for transferring the still-warm preforms from an injection molding device to the grip assembly (2), a take off plate being provided which supports a plurality of grip bodies configured to engage selectively a respective preform in order to allow its extraction from the respective receptacle (20), characterized in that the grip assembly (2) comprises a supporting assembly (11) for a grip plate (12) which supports the plurality of receptacles (20) arranged on a plurality of mutually parallel rows (101) and extended along a first direction of extension (201), the rows (101) being arranged mutually side-by-side along a second direction (202) of extension that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction of extension (201), the receptacles (20) of adjacent rows (101) arranged side- by-side along the second direction of extension (202) being mutually offset along the first direction (201), means (50) being provided for the movement of the grip plate (12) with respect to the supporting structure (10), the movement means (50) comprising first movement means (51) which act between the supporting structure (10) and the supporting assembly (11) in order to move the supporting assembly (11) at least along a first movement direction (301), and second movement means (52) supported by the supporting assembly (11) in order to move the grip plate (12) with respect to the supporting assembly (11) at least along a second movement direction (302) that is different from the first movement direction (301).

Description

DEVICE FOR COOLING AND EXTRACTING PREFORMS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PLASTIC CONTAINERS
The present invention relates to a device for cooling and extracting preforms for the production of plastic containers.
Devices for unloading and storing preforms for the production of plastic containers are known which are normally constituted by a cooling plate which forms a plurality of receptacles arranged like a matrix and designed to accommodate respective still-warm preforms for the time necessary to cool them at least partially.
Typically, such preforms are fed directly from the injection molding press to the cooling plate and remain in the respective receptacle for a preset time.
Specifically, after the end of the injection process, which means the step in which the male and female mold parts remain in a closed position, the mold opens and the cooling plate is moved toward the preforms, which are partially accommodated in one of the two mold parts so that the receptacles of the cooling plate can engage with respective portions of preforms that protrude from the mold part and are extracted from it so as to allow the closure of the mold and a new molding cycle.
The unloading of the preforms from the cooling plate occurs as a consequence of an expulsion action that can be obtained with pneumatic means, mechanical means, or a combination thereof.
The preforms are then transferred from the take off plate and then fall, by gravity, on a conveyor belt.
The solution described above, while being widely used, is not however free from drawbacks.
In particular, the cooling times are in many cases quite long and this does not allow to optimize the productivity of the system as a whole.
A solution is known, from EP0947304 in the name of Husky, which allows to speed up the cooling process by using a jet of air to lower the temperature of the internal surface of the preforms.
In particular, EP0947304 describes a preform molding and cooling system that entails the removal of the preforms from the preform mold when they are not completely cooled and the subsequent cooling of the preforms outside the molding area; the described solution describes how to perform cooling of the preforms by introducing a jet of air inside the preforms, cooling the outside of the preform in the classical way, i.e., by cooling the receptacle by means of a cooling fluid, or by convection.
Other similar solutions provide for cooling the inside of the preforms by using air jets.
In these cases, the cooling and extraction assembly is normally designed to cool the preforms arranged at the grip assembly and to extract the cooled preforms from the grip assembly.
The grip plate is movable with respect to the molding device in order to pick up the preforms.
The grip plate can furthermore move on command along at least one arrangement direction which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the preforms, so as to arrange the extracted preforms in each instance at the grip bodies.
Typically, the grip plate has the receptacles arranged like a matrix, extending along rows and columns.
This arrangement of the receptacles on the grip plate causes limitations deriving from the maximum number of stations that can be inserted as a function of the dimensions of the preforms to be manufactured.
In fact, for very large neck diameters it is not possible to increase the cooling stations due to the geometric limitations arising from the horizontal arrangement of contiguous receptacles.
The aim of the present invention is to eliminate, or at least reduce drastically, the drawbacks mentioned above.
Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a device for cooling and extracting preforms for the production of plastic containers that allows to cool and extract, in an extremely practical and effective manner, the preforms from the grip assembly.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device for cooling and extracting preforms for the production of plastic containers that allows to manage in an optimum manner both the cooling operations and the unloading operations, simplifying the movements of the various components so as to optimize both operations.
This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a device for cooling and extracting preforms for the production of plastic containers according to claim 1.
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of a device for cooling and extracting preforms for the production of plastic containers according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the grip assembly;
Figure 2 is again a perspective view, but in enlarged scale, of a portion of the grip assembly of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a front view of the portion of the grip assembly shown in Figure 2;
Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views of the grip assembly, taken along the planes of arrangement identified, respectively, by the lines IV-IV and V- V of Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a view of a portion of the grip assembly, in which the front part has been omitted for greater clarity.
The device for cooling and extracting preforms for the production of plastic containers according to the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 1.
The device 1 comprises a supporting structure 10 for at least one grip assembly 2 which forms, or supports, a plurality of receptacles 20 for respective preforms and means for transferring the still-warm preforms from an injection molding device (not shown) to the grip assembly 2.
The device 1 comprises moreover a take off plate (not shown), which supports a plurality of grip bodies configured to engage selectively a respective preform in order to allow its extraction from the respective receptacle 20.
Conveniently, the take off plate supports a plurality of grip bodies arranged like a matrix and arranged along a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns which are substantially perpendicular to the plurality of rows.
According to the present invention, the grip assembly 2 comprises a supporting assembly 11 for a grip plate 12, which supports the plurality of receptacles 20 arranged on a plurality of mutually parallel rows 101 and extended along a first direction of extension 201.
The rows 101 are arranged mutually side-by-side along a second direction of extension, designated by the reference numeral 202, which is substantially perpendicular to the first direction of extension 201.
In particular, the receptacles 20 of adjacent rows 101 arranged side- by-side along the second direction of extension 202 are mutually offset along the first direction 201, in a quincunx-like arrangement.
The device 1 according to the invention comprises, moreover, means 50 for the movement of the grip plate 12 with respect to the supporting structure 10.
The movement means 50 comprise first movement means 51, which act between the supporting structure 10 and the supporting assembly 11 in order to move the supporting assembly 11 at least along a first movement direction 301, and second movement means 52 supported by the supporting assembly 11 in order to move the grip plate 12 with respect to the supporting assembly 11 at least along a second movement direction 302 that is different from the first movement direction 301. More in detail, the first movement direction 301 and the second movement direction 302 lie on a plane that is substantially parallel to the plane of arrangement of the grip plate 12.
With reference to the embodiment shown in the figures, the first direction of extension 201 comprises a substantially vertical direction, while the second direction of extension 202 comprises a substantially horizontal direction.
Conveniently, the first movement direction 301 also comprises a substantially horizontal direction, while the second movement direction 302 comprises a substantially vertical direction.
The first motor means 51 comprise, for example, at least one linear motor which acts between the supporting structure 10 and the supporting assembly 11.
In this manner, the first motor means 51 can actuate the movement of the supporting assembly 11, and consequently of the grip plate 12 that supports the receptacles 20, along the first movement direction 301.
The supporting assembly 11 is associated with at least one sliding guide 15, which extends parallel to the second movement direction 302 and can be engaged by a respective engagement element which is supported by the grip plate 12 during the movement of said grip plate 12 with respect to the supporting assembly 11 along the second movement direction 302 following the activation of the second motor means 51.
With reference to the embodiment shown in the figures, the second motor means 52 comprise a motor body 13 which is supported by the supporting assembly 11 and comprises a rotatable shaft which is associated integrally with a gear which meshes with a rack 14 which extends parallel to the second movement direction 302 and is integral with said grip plate 12.
Naturally, the second motor means 52 can be provided in another manner, for example, by means of linear motors acting between the supporting assembly 11 and the grip plate 12. Advantageously, the cooling and extracting assembly comprises a cooling plate, which is arranged, at least in one operating condition thereof, so as to face the grip assembly 2.
The cooling plate 21 can, in particular, move on command with respect to the grip assembly 2 between a position that is closer to the grip assembly 2 and a position that is spaced from the grip assembly 2.
Optionally, the cooling plate 21 supports a plurality of cooling channels.
The cooling channels are functionally connected to a device for the production of an air flow, which is constituted for example by a blower or by a water-based cooling device.
The cooling channels are designed, with the cooling plate in the closer position, to lead into a respective preform accommodated in a respective receptacle 20 in order to convey a jet of air inside the preform so as to increase its cooling rate.
The operation of the device 1 is as follows.
At each molding cycle, the grip assembly is moved to allow the transfer of the freshly molded preforms inside respective receptacles 20 formed at the grip assembly 2 and then to face the extraction assembly.
At this point, the cooling plate, if provided, is moved on command from the position in which it is spaced from the grip assembly 2 toward the position that is closer to the grip assembly 2.
In the closer position, the cooling channels are placed at the cavities of the respective preforms to be cooled and the air sent toward the cooling channels is therefore directed inside said preforms in order to determine their cooling by convection of the blown air.
Cyclically, the grip bodies supported by the take off plate are moved in order to engage respective preforms that must be extracted from their respective receptacles 20, having previously performed one or more retention cycles within the receptacles 20, or cooling cycles if the cooling plate is provided.
Since the spatial position of the grip bodies varies exclusively along a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the plane of arrangement of the grip plate 12, the first and/or second movement means 51 and 52 are operated cyclically so as to position the preforms to be extracted in a position that faces the grip bodies.
Once the preforms have been transferred by the grip plate, the take off plate is moved away from the grip assembly 2 to bring the preforms to the unloading position, optionally by means of a downward rotation about a substantially horizontal hinge axis.
In the meantime, the preform molding device has completed a new molding cycle, and the still-warm preforms are transferred at the receptacles 20 of the grip assembly 2 that have been just freed.
The grip assembly 2 then moves to a position in which the receptacles are arranged offset with respect to the previous position, so that the grip bodies can engage the preforms that have already finished the cooling cycles.
The above embodiment, by virtue of the particular arrangement of the receptacles and the provision of first and second movement means, allows to optimize the cooling of the preforms, even those of considerable size.
Moreover, the fact that the second movement means 52 are supported by the supporting assembly ensures high precision in the movement along the second movement direction 302 and, at the same time, a reduction in inertias during movement.
The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.
In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the shapes and dimensions, may be any according to the requirements. All the details may furthermore be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.
The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102022000005810 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A device (1) for cooling and extracting preforms for the production of plastic containers, comprising a supporting structure (10) for at least one grip assembly (2) which forms a plurality of receptacles (20) for respective preforms and means for transferring the still-warm preforms from an injection molding device to said grip assembly (2), a take off plate being provided which supports a plurality of grip bodies configured to engage selectively a respective preform in order to allow its extraction from the respective receptacle (20), characterized in that said grip assembly (2) comprises a supporting assembly (11) for a grip plate (12) which supports said plurality of receptacles (20) arranged on a plurality of mutually parallel rows (101) and extended along a first direction of extension (201), said rows (101) being arranged mutually side-by-side along a second direction (202) of extension that is substantially perpendicular to said first direction of extension (201), the receptacles (20) of adjacent rows (101) arranged side- by-side along said second direction of extension (202) being mutually offset along said first direction (201), means (50) being provided for the movement of said grip plate (12) with respect to said supporting structure (10), said movement means (50) comprising first movement means (51) which act between said supporting structure (10) and said supporting assembly (11) in order to move said supporting assembly (11) at least along a first movement direction (301), and second movement means (52) supported by said supporting assembly (11) in order to move said grip plate (12) with respect to said supporting assembly (11) at least along a second movement direction (302) that is different from said first movement direction (301).
2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said first movement direction (301) and said second movement direction (302) lie on a plane that is substantially parallel to a plane of arrangement of said grip plate (12).
3. The device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said first direction of extension (201) comprises a substantially vertical direction, and in that said second direction of extension (202) comprises a substantially horizontal direction.
4. The device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said first movement direction (301) comprises a substantially horizontal direction and in that said second movement direction (302) comprises a substantially vertical direction.
5. The device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said first motor means (51) comprise at least one linear motor which acts between said supporting structure (10) and said supporting assembly (11).
6. The device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one sliding guide (15) which is formed on said supporting assembly (11) and is extended parallel to said second movement direction (302) and can be engaged by a respective engagement element which is supported by said grip plate (12) during the movement of said grip plate (12) with respect to said supporting assembly (11) along said second movement direction (302).
7. The device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second motor means (52) comprise a motor body (13) which is supported by said supporting assembly (11) and comprises a rotatable shaft which is associated integrally with a gear which meshes with a rack (14) which is extended parallel to said second movement direction (302) and is integral with said grip plate (12).
PCT/EP2023/057202 2022-03-24 2023-03-21 Device for cooling and extracting preforms for the production of plastic containers WO2023180312A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT102022000005810 2022-03-24
IT202200005810 2022-03-24

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Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0947304A2 (en) 1998-03-31 1999-10-06 Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. Preform post-mold cooling method
WO2016008928A1 (en) * 2014-07-17 2016-01-21 Sacmi Imola S.C. Device for unloading and storing preforms for the production of containers made of plastics
WO2021160474A1 (en) * 2020-02-12 2021-08-19 Sacmi Imola S.C. Device for the cooling and extraction of preforms for the manufacture of plastic containers

Patent Citations (3)

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EP0947304A2 (en) 1998-03-31 1999-10-06 Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. Preform post-mold cooling method
WO2016008928A1 (en) * 2014-07-17 2016-01-21 Sacmi Imola S.C. Device for unloading and storing preforms for the production of containers made of plastics
WO2021160474A1 (en) * 2020-02-12 2021-08-19 Sacmi Imola S.C. Device for the cooling and extraction of preforms for the manufacture of plastic containers

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